


Grafting

by canardroublard



Series: Fictober 2018 [19]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Humor, IKEA Furniture, Meet-Cute, Multi, except it's more a meet-punch-in-the-face
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 04:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16381718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canardroublard/pseuds/canardroublard
Summary: It is perhaps the ultimate test, Illya thinks. Proof that he, too, has earned his place with Solo and Gaby, his horribly, lamentably attractive neighbours who have somehow agreed to bring him into their relationship.What is the ultimate test? Assembling IKEA furniture.(Modern neighbours AU. Can be read as a standalone, but technically set after my fic "Dirty Talk".)





	Grafting

**Author's Note:**

> **Grafting**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> (vb
> 
> 1: To unite a shoot or bud with a growing, woody plant, joining the plants in a union which allows both to grow as one)  
> 2: To be or become joined)

"Oh please, like this is the worst I've done."

Illya glances at Solo, then rolls his eyes and grabs the leaflet that Solo just tossed aside. "This will go faster if you just read instructions."

"I never read the instructions."

"He's not lying," Gaby pipes up, sticking her head around the doorway. "He doesn't."

"You don't either!"

"At least I know what I'm doing." Gaby pauses, eyeing them on the living room floor. "You're sure you'll be alright?"

"It's IKEA, Gabs," responds Solo. "We'll be fine."

Squinting at him, Gaby bites her lip. Solo is already gamely holding pieces up to each other, seeming determined to intuit this without any directions.

"Illya is in charge." Before Solo has a chance to object, Gaby gives him a smirk, Illya a commiserating look, and then she's gone out the door.

 

* * *

 

"Can I ask you a question?" Illya says once they're halfway through. "How did you and Gaby meet?"

With an amused huff, Solo smiles. God, Illya adores the way Solo smiles when he thinks of Gaby. "She punched me in the face."

"What?"

Solo's hands keep working, but his gaze wanders away. "Went to a bar with this guy I was kinda dating and some people he knew. One of his straight friends was being a total creep. I went over, tried to get him away from this girl, only the second I get there she swings at him, misses, and nails me right in the jaw. Didn't even apologize, either. Just told me to _move_ so she could take another swing. You can picture it, right? Tiny little Gaby rounding on this dude my size."

Illya _can_ picture it. He grins.

"Yeah, exactly. I was completely smitten. But my then-boyfriend was actually ready to defend Mr. Straight Asswipe, so..." Solo shrugs. "I dumped him. Right there. I mean, there were other reasons. That was just the final straw. Must've made an impression on her, though, she let me buy her a drink. And the rest is history."

Shaking his head, Illya still can't stop smiling. Then he looks at Solo's work.

"That's crooked."

"What? No it's not."

 

* * *

 

"Okay, how did you boys do?" Gaby calls out when she returns a few hours later.

"Great," Solo answers, warm against Illya's side where they're sprawled together on the sofa.

Rounding the corner, Gaby eyes their work. "That's...not _as_ terrible as I was expecting."

"I think it's good considering I had to work with him," Illya retorts, earning protests from Solo. In response, Illya presses a kiss to his cheek, wet, making Solo snicker and squirm away.

"So you decided to take a nap?"

"Hey, it was hard work!" Solo insists.

Gaby makes a skeptical hum, even as she slips onto the couch with them. There isn't really enough room, but she settles onto Illya's chest, stretching over to kiss Solo before flopping down bonelessly.

"I'm keeping you around, Illya. If you can do that without killing him, you've earned your place here."

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Fictober, for the prompt "Oh please, like this is the worst I have done"


End file.
